Good Samaritans in History

The term “Good Samaritan” is generally used even today for those who show love to people in need, even if they are their enemies based on the parable told by Jesus. There are some stories of such people strewn across the Bible and many such have lived through history.

“Good Samaritans” in the Old Testament

I was thrilled to find names of few “Good Samaritans” in the Old Testament in 2 Chronicles 28. In the declining years of the Kingdom of Judah, there was this King named Ahaz.  He did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  He led his people to stray away from worshipping the Lord.  So God handed over wicked Ahaz to enemy kingdoms. Judah was defeated by Israel, her own sister. One Pekah from Israelite side killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers of Judah. The Israelites took captive from Judah two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters and a great deal of plunder to Samaria.

There was this prophet least known to us named Oded in Israel who gave the Word of God at an appropriate time to the army of Israel. He spoke against their intention to make men and women of Judah as slaves and strongly admonished them to send the prisoners back to Jerusalem. There were these four leaders of Ephraim – Azariah, Berekiah, Jehizkiah and Amasa who responded to the prophet, whom I fondly call as the good Samaritans. These men took the prisoners who were naked and clothed them. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. They put all those who were weak on donkeys.  They then took the wounded and naked prisoners to Jericho, the city they belonged to in Judah and returned back to Samaria.

“Good Samaritans” in the New Testament

Jesus said that being a Good Samaritan is a pre-requisite to inherit eternal life and this story is found in Luke 10:25-37.  Even a Levite or a priest cannot inherit eternal life if they ignore a person in need.  In the rich man and Lazarus story, the former did not inherit eternal life, simply because he did not care for the needy Lazarus like a “Good Samaritan”. James in his epistle tells us about being a “Good Samaritan”: “Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, "Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well" - but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all - it is dead and useless.” (James 2: 15-17, NLT)

“Good Samaritans” through the ages

I would call the righteousness ones standing on the right side of Jesus on the judgement day as “Good Samaritans” who have lived through the ages. They fed the hungry, gave a drink for the thirsty, showed hospitality to a stranger, clothed the naked, cared for the sick, and visited people in prison.  Whatever these people did it the least of the brothers and sisters of God, they were doing it to God himself! And these “Good Samaritans” would inherit eternal life and needless to say that those who ignored needy people would go to eternal hell! (Matthew 25:31-46)

A question for us now is: Am I a “Good Samaritan?” There are so many such needy people we come across every day in our lives.  I pray that I would have the heart, hands and feet of the "Good Samaritan" and not miss any opportunity to help them.

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." - Luke 6:31